Web Development

Stack
Open Source Technologies

 Open source technologies are computer programs that are developed

through public collaboration and are freely available to the public.
The source code for open source technologies is made available so
that users can modify or improve it.
 Examples are VLC Media Player, WordPress, LibreOffice, Apache, etc.

QUESTIONS FOR YOU?

Is WhatsApp, GMAIL and Facebook Open Source Technologies?
What is Web Development Stack?

 Web development stack is a collection of tools that provide a strong

base for your web applications.
 It offers storage devices and other features, making it easy for
developers to build, modify and enhance a website.
 XAMPP, LAMP, WAMP, APACHE and MAMP are the popular PHP servers
trusted by many developers.
LAMP
 LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP/Perl/Python) is a generic software stack
model supported by the Linux operating systems only. Hence, one cannot
run the local server on any operating system.
 The software package and its interchangeable components can be used
only by Linux based local hosts.
 Together, the main components can help generate a database driven,
dynamic website for clients.
 It is a free, open source platform with four layers, referred to as a LAMP
stack.
 Developers can generate both static HTML and dynamic web pages
running PHP codes using the LAMP server. It is a ubiquitous hosting
platform that also allows developers to test their web pages before
launching or making them live.
 LAMP server is highly customizable, easy, and quick to install. Also, it
supports PHP, Perl, and Python programming languages, uses Apache Web
server, and MySQL RDBMS to support data storage functions.
How Lamp Works?
 A browser makes a request for a specific web page via the web server
(Apache), a request is immediately passed to the supported server
side technology (PHP).
 After receiving the request, communication with the database
(MySQL) is made. As per the request, specific user data is selected
and converted to HTML format understandable by the browser.

 Now, the server responds and passes back the information to the
requested browser. Remember, the web server can run by only Linux
based local hosts
Advantages of Lamp

 LAMP server is a highly customizable, flexible, and secure open

source platform.
 Users can modify and make improvements using the shared source
code.
 The platform has a huge support community.
 With the LAMP server it is compatible with CMS websites, including
WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, etc.
 It offers a secure infrastructure for creating static and dynamic web
applications.
 A large number of web applications are dependent on the LAMP
server for it is widely integrated within the Internet.
Disadvantages of Lamp

 Supports no other operating systems other than Linux.

 It is no more the latest web stack and might get outdated in the
future.
 Less efficient and productive compared to other web stacks like
MEAN.
 In case of heavy workloads, Apache might run into performance
issues.
 Development workflow might get affected when switching between
coding in Python and PHP.
WAMP
 WAMP (Windows, Apache, MySQL and PHP) is a local server used to test
dynamic websites for Windows based systems.
 It is a free, open source platform released under a GPML license (Open Source
Licenses) and works only on Windows operating system.
 Another plus point about the WAMP server is it is available in two versions,
including 32 and 64 bits.
 It is similar to the LAMP server but differs in the operating systems. LAMP
supports only Linux based operating systems, while WAMP supports only
windows based operating systems.
 With WAMP, you can perform testing on all WordPress features on your local
host or personal computer without any consequences. It implies you do not
have to wait for files to be uploaded to the site for testing as it is not
connected to the web as it is Local Server.
 It also has a control panel that eases the process for developers and saves
time. WAMP involves the use of an Apache server and PHP object oriented
scripting language to create dynamic websites.
Advantages of WAMP

 Easy to change configurations.

 Ease to run PHP codes and create databases on the Windows
platform.
 Quick to install and download the web server.
 Intuitive and straightforward interface.
 Supports multiple modules, including phpMyAdmin, MediaWiki, etc.
 Using a single command, developers can start/stop the entire web
server and database.
Disadvantages of WAMP
 Less easy to install as compared to XAMPP
XAMPP
 XAMPP (Cross Platform, Apache Server, MariaDB, PHP, and Pearl) is a free, open source
stack package used to develop and test a live copy of your website before deployment on
the Internet.
 Many operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux are supported by the
XAMPP server.
 It is a lightweight local server that supports Tomcat (Apache Server), Perl, Filezilla (FTP
Server) and other features.
 The biggest advantage of the XAMPP server is developers can perform N number of tests
on their content locally and update it as per the requirement before making it live on the
Internet.
 This XAMPP server is easy to install and supports a control panel making it simple for
developers to manage and implement the web application. With the help of the XAMPP
stack model, the process of installation of an AMP stack becomes easy. As a result, all you
require is to download the suitable package and run the installer without additional
configurations.
 Also, it supports MariaDB rather than MySQL for databases. Basically, when Oracle took
over, developers were afraid that MySQL will turn into a paid database over time. Hence,
to avoid any unwanted expenses in the future, the developers supported “MariaDB”.
 MySQL is owned by Oracle under proprietary license and MariaDB is completely Open
Source.
 It uses PHP as a backend scripting language and Perl for web development.
Advantages of XAMPP

 With XAMPP is much easier to install compared to WAMP.

 It is a cross platform compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux
operating systems.
 Supports Secure Socket Layer Protocol (SSL) and Transport Layer
Protocol.
 Test the content of your website and fix errors before making it live
on the Internet.
 Using the XAMPP server, users can manage mails across the web.
 Developers can ease the transfer operations performed on files using
its excellent features.
 Developers can start and end the whole web server with a single
command.
Disadvantages of XAMPP

 Developers find it difficult to manage configuration and other settings

as compared to the WAMP stack model.
MAMP
 MAMP is (MacOS, Apache Web Server, MySQL, and PHP).
 It is another local server used by developers to test and run
dynamic websites on Mac OS.
 You can use MAMP server for free or try paid versions. With its
pro version, developers can create a separate host for each
web project.
 It is quick to install WordPress with these servers and allows
running multiple versions of PHP without uploading to a
remote server.
 MAMP server can be installed in minutes with a few clicks.
Apache
 Apache is free and open-source software of web server that is used
by approx. 40% of websites all over the world.
 Apache HTTP Server is its official name. It is developed and
maintained by the Apache Software Foundation.
 Apache permits the owners of the websites for serving content over
the web. It is the reason why it is known as a "web server." One of the
most reliable and old versions of the Apache web server was
published in 1995.
 If someone wishes to visit any website, they fill-out the name of the
domain in their browser address bar. The web server will bring the
requested files by performing as the virtual delivery person.
Meaning of Web Server
 Mail servers, database servers, web servers, and file servers use
different types of server software.
 All these applications may access a lot of files saved on the physical
server and apply them for many objectives.

 The aim of the web servers is to deliver websites over the internet. It
behaves as a middleman among the client machines and servers to
achieve that aim. It can pull the content through the server over
every user request. Also, it delivers this request to the web.
 Other Web Servers includes Tomcat, Nginx (pronounced as Engine-X),
Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS), Google Web Server
(GWS), etc.
How Apache Works?
 Apache is not any physical server; it is software that executes on the
server. However, we define it as a web server. Its objective is to build a
connection among the website visitor browsers (Safari, Google Chrome,
Firefox, etc.) and the server. Apache can be defined as cross-platform
software, so it can work on Windows servers and UNIX.
 When any visitor wishes for loading a page on our website, the
homepage, for instance, or our "About Us" page, the visitor's browser will
send a request on our server. Apache will return a response along with
each requested file (images, files, etc.). The client and server
communicate by HTTP protocol, and Apache is liable for secure and
smooth communication among t both the machines.
 Apache is software that is highly customizable. It contains the module-
based structure. Various modules permit server administrators for turning
additional functionality off and on. Apache includes modules for caching,
security, password authentication, URL rewriting, and other purposes.
Also, we can set up our own configuration of the server with the help of a
file known as .htaccess. It is a supported configuration file of Apache.